Russia Bans U.S Imports of Frozen Pork and Beef

Russia’s temporary ban on U.S meat products is due to the use of ractopamine in feed

Russia has followed through on a ban it announced last month and it has enacted a temporary ban on frozen beef and pork imports from the United States. Russian officials put the ban into place citing concerns over the use of ractopamine as a feed additive.

Ractopamine is added into feed as a way of stimulating livestock growth. The steroid-based feed additive has been banned in 160 countries. While the ban has been put into place, the US government and other meat lobbyists maintain that the additive is safe when properly used. The ban may lead to millions of dollars in financial losses to the US meat industry if the ban isn’t soon lifted.